Samoa: Farmers take on mud challenge

Now that flood waters have receded,
Samoan farmers face the challenge of how to treat the mud on
their farms.

Women in Business Development organic
projects officer Pule Toleafoa advises farmers to be careful
when handling mud because it can contain sewage waste,
chemicals gathered from factories, homes and
cars.

However, “floodwater mud can be used safely used
on plantations if the farmer goes through a process and
breaking down the contaminants,” says Toleafoa.

He adds
that farmers should not be planting during heavy rains
because the water erodes the soil, causing other problems
such as fungal diseases.

Melanie Scanes, an Australian
volunteer working as an organic agriculture advisor with
Women in Business, recommends a process that was used to
treat mud on farms after the 2011 Queensland floods.

To
prepare the garden for putting mud on the soil, Scanes
suggests farmers apply this seven-step approach.

1.
Turn the soil until is loose with small clods.

2.
Spread the mud onto the soil so that it is broken up and
even and there are no clumps larger than 10cm.

3. The
farmer can spread mud over soil already prepared compost, or
dry leaves and dry grass as well as freshly cut grass and
any green vegetation.

4. Generously spread crushed dead
coral over the soil.

5. Thoroughly mix everything into
the soil, getting as deep as possible by turning with a fork
or shovel.

6. Water the area so it is almost
saturated.

7. Turn every few days and keep soil wet for
four to six weeks. The water is needed to breakdown the
contaminants.

Scanes says the first planting should not be
root crops or crops that sit on the soil such as taro, yams
or cabbages.

She suggests planting tomato, cucumber,
eggplant, beans or any tree crops, including
bananas.

Toleafoa says planting a ground-cover crop such
as mucuna or gatae during this time will add nitrogen and
naturally fertilise the soil. Although, gatae is not
recommended to be planted near vanilla.

Tolefoa and Scanes
are part of a Women in Business team looking at the impacts
of Cyclone Evan upon farmers and the resulting needs.

The
organisation is working with Oxfam NZ to help affected
farmers revive their plantations and livelihoods.

Women
in Business staff spent the past two weeks conducting a
Needs Analysis Survey with farmers in cyclone-damaged areas.

Staff are now analysing the data so they can design a
programme to assist the most vulnerable farmers and provide
advice and resources to the farming
community.

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